Performance anxiety

One of the girls in Dutch's ballet class dropped out just before the Big Show. I suspect it was due to stage fright; that kid was stricken with terror after each class when she had to do her farewell curtsy to the teacher in front of the waiting parents in the lobby. Cook expressed his sympathy, opining that some people, such as himself, "would rather crawl over a floor covered in broken glass then perform to an audience." However, Cook acted* in plays as a kid, and enjoys playing the clown for people with whom he is close.** So he's not exactly a non-performer. I like to perform, personally - I liked being in plays as a kid, and I like presenting to audiences now, even when I haven't got anything worthwhile to say. Dutch seems to have inherited every scrap of ham from both sides of the family, and I foresee years of dutifully volunteering backstage at various sorts of shows.

*and sang, dreadful as that is to contemplate.
**His comic timing is excellent, and his accents lovably atrocious.